Experiencing The Lifespan JANET BELSKY Experiencing The Lifespan 3rd edition Chapter 5: Physical and Cognitive Development Copyright © 2013, 2011 by Worth Publishers

Figure 5.1 The human cortex and that of some other species: Notice the size of our cortex in comparison to other species. Also notice the dramatic increase in the size of our frontal lobes. It is our mammoth cortex and especially our huge frontal lobes that are responsible for everything that makes our species unique. JANET BELSKY Copyright © 2013, 2011 by Worth Publishers

Table 5.1 Selected Motor Skill Milestones: Progression from Age 2 to Age 6 JANET BELSKY Copyright © 2013, 2011 by Worth Publishers

Figure 5. 2 Percentage of U. S Figure 5.2 Percentage of U.S. children aged 6–11 classified as obese, selected years: This chart shows that the prevalence of child obesity almost tripled during the 1980s and has continued to rise, though, notice, at increasingly slower rates. JANET BELSKY Copyright © 2013, 2011 by Worth Publishers

Table 5.2 Three Low-Stress, Research-based Obesity-Control Techniques for Parents and Three Research Messages for Society JANET BELSKY Copyright © 2013, 2011 by Worth Publishers

Table 5.3 Piaget’s Stages: Focus on Childhood JANET BELSKY Copyright © 2013, 2011 by Worth Publishers

Figure 5.3 Four Piagetian conservation tasks: Can you perform these tasks with a child you know? JANET BELSKY Copyright © 2013, 2011 by Worth Publishers

Figure 5.4 A problem with seriation: When asked to “put these sticks in order, from biggest to smallest,” this kindergartner may center on the uppermost part of the table and identify the sticks numbered 2 and 5 as the biggest. JANET BELSKY Copyright © 2013, 2011 by Worth Publishers

Table 5.4 Can You Identify the Type of Preoperational Thought from These Real-World Examples? JANET BELSKY Copyright © 2013, 2011 by Worth Publishers

Figure 5.5 Vygotsky’s zone of proximal development: These lines illustrate the ZPD— the gap between where a child is currently “at” intellectually and where he can potentially be. If a teacher sensitively teaches within this zone and employs scaffolding (see step-wise lines)—providing support, then backing off when help is no longer needed—students will reach their full intellectual potential. JANET BELSKY Copyright © 2013, 2011 by Worth Publishers

Table 5.5 Piagetian and vygotskian Perspectives on Life and Learning JANET BELSKY Copyright © 2013, 2011 by Worth Publishers

Figure 5.6 A selective attention study: In this study measuring selective attention, children were asked only to memorize the animals on the top half of the cards. Then researchers looked for age differences in their memory for the irrelevant household items. JANET BELSKY Copyright © 2013, 2011 by Worth Publishers

Table 5.6 Information-Processing Guidelines for Teachers and Parents JANET BELSKY Copyright © 2013, 2011 by Worth Publishers

Table 5.7 Challenges on the Language Pathway: A Summary Table JANET BELSKY Copyright © 2013, 2011 by Worth Publishers

Figure 5.7 The false-belief task: In this classic test for theory of mind, when children under age 4 are asked, “Where will Ms. X look for the toy?” they are likely to say, “Under the bed,” even though Ms. X could not possibly know the toy was moved to this new location. Source: Based on Wimmer & Perner 1983. JANET BELSKY Copyright © 2013, 2011 by Worth Publishers

Table 5.8 Brain-Imaging Theory-of-Mind and Autobiographical-Memory Findings to Wrap your Head Around JANET BELSKY Copyright © 2013, 2011 by Worth Publishers

Figure 5.8 A task measuring theory of mind in adults: In this study, adults are first shown the view of the man on the other side of this construction laden with objects that are sitting on partly occluded and fully open slots. Then they are told “ Follow the director’s instructions.” When this man says, “Move the small ball left,” many people make an egocentric response—moving the smallest golf ball that is only visible to them, rather than the tennis ball that only the director sees! Source: Apperly and others, 2010. JANET BELSKY Copyright © 2013, 2011 by Worth Publishers